Abstract
BACKGROUND: High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) intratumoural vasculature evolution remains unknown. The study investigated changes in tumour microvessel density (MVD) in a large cohort of paired primary and recurrent HGSOC tissue samples and its impact on patients' clinico-pathological outcome. METHODS: A total of 222 primary (pOC) and recurrent (rOC) intra-patient paired HGSOC were assessed for immunohistochemical expression of angiogenesis-associated biomarkers (CD31, to evaluate MVD, and VEGF-A). Expression profiles were compared between pOCs and rOCs and correlated with patients' data. RESULTS: High intratumoural MVD and VEGF-A expression were observed in 75.7% (84/111) and 20.7% (23/111) pOCs, respectively. MVDhigh and VEGF((+)) samples were detected in 51.4% (57/111) and 20.7% (23/111) rOCs, respectively. MVDhigh/VEGF((+)) co-expression was found in 19.8% (22/111) and 8.1% (9/111) of pOCs and rOCs, respectively (p = 0.02). Pairwise analysis showed no significant change in MVD (p = 0.935) and VEGF-A (p = 0.121) levels from pOCs to rOCs. MVDhigh pOCs were associated with higher CD3((+)) (p = 0.029) and CD8((+)) (p = 0.013) intratumoural effector TILs, while VEGF((+)) samples were most frequently encountered among BRCA-mutated tumours (p = 0.019). Multivariate analysis showed VEGF and MVD were not independent prognostic factors for OS. CONCLUSIONS: HGSOC intratumoural vasculature did not undergo significant changes during disease progression. High concentration of CD31((+)) vessels seems to promote recruitment of effector TILs. The study also provides preliminary evidence of the correlation between VEGF-positivity and BRCA status.
Item Type: | Journal article |
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Faculties: | Medicine |
Subjects: | 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health |
ISSN: | 0007-0920 |
Language: | English |
Item ID: | 63120 |
Date Deposited: | 19. Jul 2019, 12:12 |
Last Modified: | 04. Nov 2020, 13:41 |